Among Poison Snakes
by FlyAwayDreamCatcher
Summary: He was a lion in a nest of poisonous snakes. Two-shot (Part one - freeverse). Slight Scorose. Rated T for language.
1. Part One - Your Mother Screams

**A.N. Why hello! Welcome to part 1 of 2 of 'Among Poison Snakes'. I really like the idea of Scorpius running away in like, I dunno, his sixth year? to Albus's house because his father never got over him being a Gryffindor. Which I always pictured him as. **

**Anywho, PART 2 will be an actual 'story', not freeverse. I just wrote this first, before I started on the story version. Partly 'coz I wanted to try freeverse and partly 'coz I was to lazy to write paragraphs earlier today.**

**But look at this! That's some serious freeverse my friend. I'm rather proud of it actually. Part 2 ****_should _****but come soon but,we're talking about ****_me _****sooooo...**

**Enjoy!**

**FlyAway**

* * *

**A**_M_**O**_N_**G **_P_**O**_I_**S**_O_**N**_ S_**N**_A_**K**_E_**S**

**_pArT oNe_**

* * *

~wAiLs~

_and_

S_H_**O**U_T_**S.**

(Can't take them back)

/so\

**SICK**

of living with your

**B**

**I**

**T**

**T**

**E**

**R**

father.

_AWFUL_

truths

!S!C!R!E!A!M!E!D!

_:at:the:_

**_SNAKE_**

**Snake**

_Snake_

Snake

**_S_**

**_N_**

**_A_**

**_K_**

**_E_**

_{you are a lion}_

(in a nest of poison serpents)

**ROAR**

vs

_HISS_

**THEY**

don't

/M\

/I\

/X\

_You _**broke**

.TRADITION.

**T**

**H**

**E**

**G**

**R**

**Y**

**F**

**F**

**I**

**N**

**D**

**O**

**R**

**M**

**A**

**L**

**F**

**O**

**Y**

- _they call you a Blood-Traitor,_

{too much like

ANDROMEDA.}

{too much like

**SIRIUS BLACK.}**

(you're really quite proud) -

**Screw them**.

That's your motto.

_Because_

T_h_e_y_ d_o_n_'__t_ _l_o_v_e _y_o_u_

**ANYMORE.**

_[but]_

_[then]_

_[your]_

_[mother]_

_[screams.]_

**She**

BEGS

_You_

to

-c-o-m-e- -b-a-c-k-

**(you don't.)**

* * *

**Did you like it? Or was it horrendous? **

**Reviews = love+cookies**

**FlyAway**


	2. Part Two - The Gryffindor Malfoy

**A.N. Finally! Here it is! **

**DISCLAIMER: I own not.**

* * *

**A**_M_**O**_N_**G **_P_**O**_I_**S**_O_**N **_S_**N**_A_**K**_E_**S**

**_pArT_**_ tWo_

* * *

The silence was suffocating.

It echoed around the huge dining room: booming off the polished ebony floors; bouncing on the carved silver serpents with emerald eyes; reverberating off the high, arched windows and resonating off the tall ceiling.

Scorpius couldn't breathe.

He sat at the opposite end of the ridiculously long, ornate table to his parents, much to his mother's chagrin. But he paid this little mind.

He could see his father's repressed anger – or was it merely irritation? – in his tense posture, the twitch in the muscle just behind his jaw and the fact that he had not looked up from his platter since the start of the meal.

His mother, her dark hair in a twisted up-do, cleared her throat.

"So," She began, in a valiant effort to roll the ball of conversation. "Scorpius, how is school?"

Scorpius was torn between the desire to snort in amusement at her attempt at small talk, and roll his eyes in exasperation. All he wanted to do was finish dinner and write a letter to Al and Rose.

But it was Christmas, he supposed.

He was really meant to be spending time with his family.

Of course, his grandmother was absent, which saddened Scorpius, and his Grandfather was visiting the Ministry and wouldn't be back for another hour. Lucius Malfoy wasn't high on Scorpius's list, but he was rather fond of his Gran. Narcissa Malfoy was currently in Europe with her sister Andromeda, enjoying a long-needed catch-up.

"It's good, Mum," Scorpius replied politely.

"Excellent, excellent..."

More quiet.

The tinkle of cutlery on silver plates and the soft rustle of napkins.

Then his father spoke.

"Missing your entourage are you?"

His voice was so _cold_. It was startling.

"Excuse me?" Scorpius hadn't intended for the words to come out. He was going to remain silent. But he didn't.

Astoria froze.

"Your little Gryffindor gaggle," Draco replied, finally raising his head from his barely-touched food.

"I think you'll find, father, that a gaggle consists of a group."

"Do not talk to me in such a disrespectful way, young man. I am your father."

"Don't insult my friends then."

"They are a Potty and a Weasel. I hardly think I could class them as _friends_."

"Well good job I'm not you then isn't it?" Scorpius snapped, standing suddenly and knocking his chair to the floor.

There was silence again for a moment.

Mr. Malfoy slowly rose, calmly placing his knife and fork on the table.

"I do not approve of your friends, Scorpius. Neither do I approve of your House."

Scorpius snapped.

"I DON'T CARE IF YOU 'DO NOT APPROVE' OF MY FRIENDS OR NOT!" He roared. "I DON'T CARE IF YOU APPROVE OF MY HOUSE! I'M PROUD TO BE A GRYFFINDOR! I'M PROUD TO BREAK THE BLASTED FAMILY TRADITION!"

This had been a long-time coming.

"DO NOT ADDRESS ME LIKE THAT!"

"I'LL ADDRESS YOU HOW I BLOODY WELL LIKE!"

"YOU ISOLENT BOY!" Scorpius's father strode around the table. "YOU ARE NOT WORTHY A THE NAME OF MALFOY! YOU HAVE BEEN A DISSPOINTMENT SINCE YOUR SORTING! SINCE YOU SAT IN THAT COMPARTMENT WITH ROSE WEASLEY AND ALBUS POTTER!"

Scorpius recoiled, as though slapped. "Well," He swallowed, suddenly feeling unable to scream. "If that's how you feel, I'll go."

But screaming had been so much easier.

Once again, silence enveloped the room.

Only this time is was utter, utter silence.

Scorpius caught sight of his mother. Her hands were clapped over her mouth, tear-tracks woven down her face – more droplets noiselessly running in them – and her hair had fallen from its intricate knot.

He turned on heel and quickly walked out into the portrait-lined hall (the paintings gaping, scowling and yelling abuse at him), before rushing up the stairs in a frenzy of muddled horror and burning fury.

He hurriedly packed his trunk with his school items and possessions he wished to take with him. Then he grabbed his cloak, gloves and Gryffindor scarf from the back of his door. He seized his trunk and noisily banged it down the stairs, past his parents, who had exited the dining room, to the huge, green-black front-door.

Turning the bronze handle, he was assaulted by snow and wind and frost; the cold grabbing at him with icy fingers.

"NO!" Came a sudden shriek from behind him. "NO! Scorpius!"

His mother clutched at him, tugging at his clothes in a feeble attempt to pull him back into the manor. Scorpius turned to her and laid an already-frozen hand on her pale arm. He looked at her with determined grey eyes, smiling sadly.

"Goodbye, Mum."

Even more tears welled up in Astoria Malfoy's brown eyes, but before she could tighten her hold on him, Scorpius pulled away and looked steadily at his father.

"I guess you won't have to endure living with the Gryffindor Malfoy anymore, Dad."

Draco's expression surprised Scorpius. He looked grief-stricken – horrified.

"Scorpius I –" He gasped.

But Scorpius was out the door.

"NO!" Astoria's ear-splitting cry was unearthly. Like her soul was shattering. "Scorpius – SCORPIUS! COME BACK – _SCORPIUS!"_

Desperately trying to ignore his mother's despairing screams, Scorpius pulled his trunk through the thick snow astonishingly quickly. When he arrived at the black, wrought-iron gates, it was half a shock to him. But he roughly pushed it aside and wrenched the metal open, his mother's wails still audible behind him.

He stormed down the driveway, growling at a white peacock that crossed his path. His extremities were numb; his cloak and scarf billowing in the glacial wind, but he barely realised such trivial matters in his blind march.

It was not until he reached the lane, standing on the edge of the Malfoy Estate, that his adrenaline dissolved. He felt tired and stuporous, finally feeling the cold. The gravity of what he had just done hit him like a herd of rampaging hippogriffs.

He had _run away._

He was _not welcome any more._

He swayed, leaning on his trunk for support. He would _not _cry. _He would not cry._

Yet tears slowly trickled out, leaving freezing trails on his pale, pale face. He squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to stem the steady flow.

He didn't _need _them.

_Screw them_.

Wasn't that his motto?

It wasn't so easy to accept anymore.

_Pull yourself together._ He whispered to himself. _You need to get somewhere warm._

But where could he go? It was Christmas.

The Leaky Cauldron would likely be shut. Hannah would be spending the day with her family: Professor Longbottom and Frank and Alice.

He couldn't go to Aunt Andromeda's place, as she was with Gran in Europe.

_Oh, Gran..._

She would be devastated.

_No_. Once again, he pushed aside thoughts of his family. He would write to Gran, when he was inside.

Then the answer popped into his brain.

How could he have been so _stupid?_

The answer was simple: Al and Rose.

But then the relief he had felt fleetingly disintegrated.

Both of them would be at the Burrow – with the entire Weasley-Potter tribe.

Did he dare? The kids that knew him would be probably be okay (_he hoped..._), but he had hardly met the clan adults at all. He had met Mr. Potter and Mrs. Potter of course, they would be fine (_would they?_), but the others? He didn't know. He knew _of _them, and had seen them — perhaps said "hello" to — but never really _spoken _to any of them.

What would happen if he just turned up in their doorstep on Christmas Day?

Well, he didn't have much choice, did he?

Damn it, he was still crying.

_Why was he still crying?_

He angrily swiped at his tears.

Another thing occurred to him: did the Knight Bus even run on Christmas? Merlin, he hoped so. Praying to Merlin, Morgana and Mordred, he scrambled for his wand and, finding it, stuck his hand into the air.

_Please, please, please..._

BANG!

At the almighty boom, Scorpius leapt back. The obtrusively violet, triple-decker bus shuddered to a halt into front him and out of the doors came a gangly man in a just-as-violently-purple uniform.

"'Ello, 'ello, 'ello." He grinned in a heavy cockney, reading off of a slip of parchment. "This is'a Knight Bus, emergency transpor' for'a strande' Witch or Wizar', an' we'n go anywhere your 'eart desires. I'm Alfie Dong, Conducto' o' the Knight Bus, please climb aboar' an' I will be 'appy to brin' your luggage." Alfie looked up from the writing. "Goo' ta see ya, Scorp."

Scorpius grinned, his panic disappearing for moment. "You too, Alfie. Thanks."

Ernie Prang, the absolutely ancient Knight Bus driver, smiled toothily at Scorpius from his armchair. Scorpius smiled back.

Alfie placed his trunk next to a quite plush floral-print chair (_how_ there managed to a _plush _chair on the Knight Bus, Scorpius wasn't sure) which Scorpius settled himself gratefully into.

"Where you heade', Scorp?" Alfie asked him. Scorpius was a regular on the Knight Bus, as he used it to get to and from Al's house and Diagon Alley - he wasn't so keen on the Floo.

"Ottery St. Catchpole."

"That'll be 'leven Sickles then."

Scorpius handed Alfie the coins, and they shot off with another deafening BANG!

"So where's Stan, Alfie?" Scorpius asked as they ploughed though a narrow street, lamp posts and buildings hopping out of their way.

"Feelin' bi' under the weather," Alfie explained, grabbing a candle-bracket as they hurtled around a corner. "We ha' a Chris'mas Eve par'y. Stan ha' a li'le too much Firewhiskey. So 'e tol' me I coul' 'ave me firs' full day wivou' 'im."

Scorpius laughed, also gripping a candle-bracket so as not to slide to the other side of the bus. Alfie was Stan Shunpike's 'apprentice'. It was often fun to watch their banter. He chatted to Alfie for a few more minutes, and was looking at the scenery pass in a blur when Ernie said something to Alfie.

"Almos' 'ere now, Scorp." Alfie informed him as Scorpius stopped his trunk from running away with his foot.

Sure enough, they jerked to standstill by the trees at the end of the high-street. Merlin was Scorpius glad the Muggles couldn't see them.

"Tak' care, Scorp." Alfie beamed, heaving the trunk out of the bus.

"Will do," Scorpius replied, his terrible anxiety slowly return to his stomach. "Bye Alfie, bye Ern. I hope Stan feels better soon."

Ernie gave a wheezy chuckle and Alfie laughed, then, with Scorpius safely on the ground with his baggage, they rocketed off in another BANG!

Scorpius stood there, staring at where the Knight Bus had just disappeared, for another minute, his terror bubbling like acid once more.

Did he even know where the Burrow was?

He had heard the Weasleys and Potters talk about it, maybe he could find it from that, intuition and touch of luck?

Merlin, it was cold.

The snow in Ottery St. Catchpole was falling thick and fast and he was already starting to feel the chill. The Burrow couldn't be that hard to find.

After scanning the skyline, Scorpius spotted, almost missing it, the bent tip of a roof, poking above a thick orchard of white trees. Shivering, Scorpius tugged his trunk through the every-growing flurry towards the pointy little silhouette.

_Oh Merlin, it was cold._

By the time he reached the Burrow, Scorpius was shaking so badly his trunk was rattling. His cloak and scarf were soaked from the snow and his normally shaggy hair was plastered to his frozen forehead.

As he approached the crooked house, Scorpius heard bellows of laughter and a warm glow emanating from what he took to be the kitchen. Numb though-and-though, the Gryffindor lifted a shuddering hand and knocked three times, as loudly as his body would allow him to.

The din died down at once and Scorpius heard nothing until –

"Oh for Merlin's sake, if no one's going to open the door and see who it is, I suppose _I_ better. Honestly, you're all sitting there like a knocking on someone's door at Christmas is some sort of horrendous crime."

If Scorpius had been able to feel anything, he would have burst into laughter at Albus's scornful and sarcastic – yet playful – tone.

The door swung open.

"_Scorpius?_"

Scorpius attempted to smile. He wasn't sure if his lips even moved.

"What the _hell _happened to you? Are you crazy?"

With great effort, Scorpius croaked out as witty a retort as he could manage. "I'v-I've b-been a-asking my-myself th-the s-same que-question f-f-for a-a wh-while."

Shaking his head to clear it, Albus grabbed him roughly by the shoulders and pulled him inside, trunk and all. Scorpius stood there, soaked, freezing and dripping water on the floor, as the entire Weasley-Potter clan stared at him.

Rose was the first to react.

"Oh my – Scorpius!" She leapt up, running at him and smothered him in very damp hug. She released him; her bushy red hair looked as though it were on fire in the homely glow from the hearth. She was just as beautiful as he remembered. "What in the name of Merlin are you doing here? Christ your cold! Bloody _hell!_"

Albus and Rose turned to their stunned family.

"Why are you all just sitting there?" Albus demanded, eyes flaming. "Help him!"

Albus's grandmother jumped, flushed and bustled up to Scorpius. "Oh – yes, of course." She pulled out her wand and tapped it gently on top of his head, drying him.

As Molly rushed around and warmed the borderline-pneumonic boy, the rest of the family gathered around him, concern etched on their faces, mixed with hesitation on some.

Albus and Rose crouched at the front, distress and anxiety clearing overruling all other emotions.

"Scorp," Al began frowning. "What happened?"

Scorpius, the feeling gradually returning to his major body-parts, bit his lip. "I g-got in-into a-a f-fight with D-dad." He looked down, teeth still chattering. "A b-big o-one." He swallowed. "I-I do-don't th-think h-he'll w-w-want m-me b-back."

There was silence.

"I always knew he was an idiot."

Scorpius stared at Rose. As did everyone else.

"W-what?"

"Well – no offense – but he was always kind of a prick –"

"Rose!"

"Sorry, mum. But he was always kind of a prick –"

Rose's mother sighed and rubbed her face. "She gets it from _you _you know." She jabbed her finger into Rose's dad's chest. He laughed and rubbed where her finger had hit.

"Anyway," Rose continued. "He was always kind of a prick – from what you said – and if he's kicked you out then that just proves it."

Scorpius let out a wheezy laugh that turned into a hacking cough. Mrs. Weasley firmly placed a steaming hot chocolate into his hands.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley." He accepted gratefully. Mrs. Weasley beamed. Taking a sip, Scorpius felt the warmth spread to his fingertips and toes. "He didn't so much kick me out as I did storm out of the manor, scarf flapping in the wind." He told the others, sipping the coco again.

Albus and Rose burst into laughter. The rest of the family gradually followed suit. Scorpius smiled shakily.

After the laughs had died down, Albus leaned forward and clapped Scorpius on the shoulder.

"Welcome, to the family, mate."

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**A.N. And then Teddy comes back from his short shift at the Auror office and sees Scorpius at the table and says "Hey, Cuz." without even batting an eyelid, 'cos he's that cool.**

**Review please!**

**FlyAway**

**V**

**V**

**That beautiful box right below this message.**

**V**

**Yes that one.**

**V**

**The one that promises happiness.**

**V**


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